Sketch Books and Sticky Notes
by GaaLee-girl-13
Summary: Great memories can sometimes only bring pain. Can Sollux bring Eridan back and make him relive what they lost? Inspired by and modeled off of "The Vow". Sollux/Eridan, rated M just for language and suggestive themes (possibly).
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: Inspired by and modeled off of "The Vow"_

_ "__Sol, for god's sake, hold still!" Eridan whined from his seat on the table.__  
__Sollux laughed and rolled over on the couch. "I don't like having to lay here for hourth!" he snickered through his lisp.__  
__ "__Well how else am I supposed ta finish this sketch?" he asked with a drawn out sigh as he set his pencil down beside himself. "This project is due ta'morrow."__  
__ "__Why on earth would you want to thketch me for your art project?" Sollux asked as he sat up and stretched. "And why'd you wait tho long?"__  
__ "__I forgot, and why the hell not?" Eridan shrugged. "Our professor told us to..." he paused, sliding his thick glasses down to the end of his nose and squinting his eyes. "'Find something of great beauty to sketch for this project'," he said, making his voice high and shaky. Sollux laughed, clutching his stomach and doubling over. Eridan snickered, unable to contain his own amusement as he fixed his glasses.__  
__ "__Thomething of great beauty, huh?" Sollux asked as he fought for breath, grinning through the tears in his eyes from his fit. "Are you trying to fail thith one?"__  
__ "__Art is all about interpretation, Sol." Eridan smiled.__  
__ "__Yeah? Interpret thith." Sollux flipped him off.__  
__ "__Hah, very funny. Now get your lazy ass back on the couch so I can work."__  
_

Sollux stared up from the couch, feeling crushed by the silence. Art paper and books were still scattered about the room, pencils littered the table. He watched them all with a heavy heart. He stood and grabbed the nearest sketch book. Eridan had never let Sollux go through this one. It even had 'Stay Out Sol' in permanent marker on the cover. Sollux sighed and set the book back down. He glanced at the beat up CD player he had hooked up to the sound system that spanned the entire apartment. The disc inside stared up at him through a faint layer of dust.

_"__Oh my god, ED..." Sollux groaned as he stumbled into the living room. "Turn that thit down..."__  
__ "__What? Don't like having the music this loud in the morning?" Eridan said calmly, only adjusting the volume slightly.__  
__ "__Not that orchethtra thit," he growled as he staggered into the kitchen.__  
__ "__I thought you would'a liked it," Eridan commented, following Sollux. "Considerin' it's your shitty orchestra music."__  
__ "__I don't have any orchethtra-!" Sollux fell silent as the music began an all too familiar theme. "You didn't," he gaped.__  
__Eridan grinned. "I did." He held up a video game case and tapped the sticker on it that said 'Includes Theme Music CD'. Sollux spun around and hugged him tightly, lifting him off the ground and burying his face in the fabric of Eridan's shirt. Eridan laughed as he was set down again. "Happy birthday, Sol."__  
_

Sollux walked into the kitchen slowly, digging through the emptying fridge. He sighed, instead grabbing a Clementine from the basket on the counter. He shook his head and jumped up onto the counter, sitting with his legs dangling off of the edge. He slowly peeled the tiny fruit, tossing the peel into the trash can and grabbing a bowl from the cabinet above him. Sollux threw the small fruit slices into the bowl and retrieved one of the many jars of honey. With practiced ease, he opened the jar, threw the lid in the trash, and drowned the poor Clementine pieces._  
_

_"__Sol, what are you doing? That's disgustin'!" Eridan said, making a gagging noise as he watched Sollux eat spoonful after spoonful of honey covered Clementine's.__  
__ "__Thith thit ith great," Sollux mumbled, wiping the honey off of his chin.__  
__Eridan curled his lip back. "That's just gross."__  
__Sollux shoved a spoonful in Eridan's face. "Come on, ED, jutht try it."__  
__ "__Oh god, no! I'm not eatin' that!" he squeaked, turning away.__  
__ "__Come on!" Sollux laughed, grabbing Eridan by the arm. "Try it!" He gripped Eridan's jaw, pressing his fingertips into the two pressure points near the base of Eridan's ears and forcing his mouth open. He shoved the spoonful of honey and fruit into Eridan's mouth with a laugh. Eridan coughed and sputtered before Sollux clapped a hand over his mouth. Eridan glared, grudgingly eating the sugar-coated fruit. Sollux snickered. "Tho? What do you think?"__  
__ "__Aside from bein' suffocated an' you force feedin' me," Eridan quipped before pausing, "I guess it's not bad."__  
_

He threw on his jacket, stuffing his phone and his keys into his pockets. He stepped outside, tugging the collar of his coat up over his mouth as he locked the door of the apartment. The sky was clear, his breath fogging through his jacket. He walked down the street, a brisk wind whipping past him. People walked past him, many wandering back and forth from shops, some on their way to jobs or school. He followed the small dirt path, stepping out of the way of a small group of bicyclists. Sollux shook his head, turning away and heading deeper into the city. The tall buildings surrounding him seemed to swallow the sky, masses of people making their ways through the streets. He turned, taking a more deserted route through town. He stopped at one vacant intersection, staring at the vandalized stop sign and the broken street light overhead.

_"__This is the most annoyin' song ever!" Eridan groaned.__  
__ "__You thay that about all of my techno," Sollux commented, turning the volume up higher. He was sure the speakers would blow one day, but until then, he could still piss Eridan off.__  
__ "'__Cause it is all annoyin'!" Eridan slapped the off button. "Thank god," he sighed. "You are the worst boyfriend ever," he said, feigning seriousness.__  
__ "__The wortht?"Sollux asked in horribly scripted shock.__  
__ "__The worst," Eridan repeated.__  
__ "__But you thtill love me for it." Sollux grinned as he pulled to a stop at the sign.__  
__ "__Yeah, I do," Eridan sighed, taking a hold of Sollux's free hand. Sollux laughed as he set the car in motion again. "Sol, look-!" He was cut off by screeching brakes as a swerving truck slammed into the side of the car. Sollux felt the impact before the world started to fade. He could see Eridan slam against the window, feeling the others' hand clench in his own.__  
_

Sollux shook his head roughly, walking up the steps of the hospital. The nurses waved and greeted him, all knowing him on a first name basis by now. He felt his heart grow heavier with every step he took. The doctors patted his shoulder as he passed, muttering words of encouragement under their breath.

_"__ED?" Sollux asked hesitantly as the other boy slowly woke up.__  
__ "__Huh? Oh, hey... Wait... Who are you?" he muttered. "Why are you here?" he asked in confusion, sliding away from Sollux a bit.__  
__ "__What are you talking about? Don't joke like that! I'm Thollucth!" Sollux said in a faint panic. "I'm looking out for you! That'th what I'm thuppothed to do!"__  
__ "__Why?"__  
__Sollux began to panic more. "Becauthe I'm your boyfriend," he said hastily.__  
__Eridan looked taken aback. "What are you talking about? Who are you? Where's Fef? Why are you lyin' ta me?" he said harshly.__  
__ "__I..." Sollux took a small step back.__  
__The doctor cleared his throat for attention. "It is possible that the accident may have caused a small loss of memory but-," he began.__  
__ "__Thmall?" Sollux growled, leading the doctor out of the room. "Thmall? I've been with him for three yearth! You're telling me that'th thmall? Thmall ith him not remembering what project he'th working on. Thmall ith him not remembering our fight latht week. Thmall ith not him forgetting that we've been together for three yearth!"__  
__ "__Captor, sir, I assure you, things will improve!" the doctor said hurriedly. "Right now, I think he just needs some time to think!"__  
__Sollux fell to the floor, hands on his knees, fighting back the tears in his eyes. "ED..."__  
_

"Hey, ED, how are you feeling?" Sollux asked as he stepped into the room.  
Eridan looked up from his book. "Oh, hey... Sol, right? I feel fine, thanks," he said quickly, returning to his book. "They said I can go home ta'morrow. I already called Fef and arranged to stay with her. I'm not sure what I was doin' before but this'll work for the time bein'."  
"Wait... But didn't they altho thay you thould go back to your normal routine?"  
"Yeah, and your point is?"  
"Your normal routine wath alwayth with me," Sollux stated.  
Eridan growled slightly. "Sol, I don't know what you're playin' at, but I sure as hell wasn't stayin' with you. For god's sake, stop lyin' ta me."  
Sollux paused before leaving the room again. He leaned against the wall, sliding down to the floor and burying his face in his hands. He could feel the tears slide between his fingers, leaving little damp spots on his jeans. "I've never lied to you, ED... I'd never lie to you..."

_A/N: I don't know if I should continue this... I'm considering leaving it... but I do have more started, but don't know if it would be liked. Please let me know if I should continue on this..._


	2. Chapter 2

Sollux rubbed his eyes, staring up at the ceiling above his bed. He stretched his arm to one side, sighing sadly when he felt nothing but empty sheets. With a soft groan, he sat up, his feet landing on the cold tile floor. He glanced at the tattered calendar, noticing the bright red note that said 'ED HOME'. He picked up a shirt before tossing it back on the floor and staggering into the living room in his boxers. Sollux stared at the coffee pot for a few minutes before the door bell drew him from his thoughts.  
"Hello?" Sollux asked, opening the door.  
"For god's sake, can't you even put clothes on ta answer the door?" Eridan grumbled, shifting his messenger bag on his shoulder. "What's your name again?"  
Sollux felt a sharp pain in his chest. "Thollucth."  
"Sis told me my stuff was here for some reason," he said quickly, staring at the ground. "I just came ta pick up my clothes."  
"Oh, alright," Sollux said softly, leading Eridan into the house. "I can go get your thtuff, if you want..."  
"That'd be great, actually."  
"Alright, jutht wait out here I gueth." Sollux left the room, rummaging back through the bedroom dressers and gathering what he remembered to be Eridan's favorite clothes. "Here'th thome of it," Sollux called as he exited the bedroom. Eridan stared at one of the sketchbooks, flicking through a few pages. He shuffled the book into one hand, taking his clothes with the other.  
"Thanks," Eridan said as he stuffed the clothes into his bag. "Fef said somethin' about coming over here later. I guess she knows you or somethin' like that," he muttered. "Do you draw?" Eridan asked, flipping through the pages once again.  
"No," Sollux said, shaking his head. "Hey, you can..." He trailed off for a moment while Eridan picked up a few more pages. "You can take thothe if you want, I mean, just to check out. I'm sure you're buthy today."  
Eridan looked over the books one last time before nodding. "Alright, I guess." Sollux gathered a few of the stray notebooks and stacked them in Eridan's arms, burying the one he had never looked through near the bottom of the pile. "Thanks."  
"Wait, ED," Sollux said quickly as Eridan opened the door. "Do you..." He paused, the words catching in his throat. "Do you remember how we met?"  
"'A course I do," Eridan replied with a huff. "You were at the hospital after my car accident." He turned and strode out the door. Sollux fought back the tears in his eyes as pain swelled in his chest.  
Sollux finally dressed and then sat on the couch, staring at the small television blankly for a few hours. He watched without seeing, listened without hearing, until the doorbell rang once more. "Yeth?" he asked tiredly as he pulled the door open.  
"Sollux, why didn't you tell me sooner?" Aradia shoved her way into the apartment. Sollux stood with his mouth open as she tossed her jacket on a chair and began cleaning up the pencils littering the table.  
"Pleathe, come in and make yourthelf at home," he called sarcastically as he shut the door.  
"Thank you," she sighed, sitting on the couch. "You, sir, are in a serious predicament."  
"Oh, and you think I don't know that? My boyfriend doethn't know who I am!" He pinched the bridge of his nose and sat next to her. Aradia turned to face him, a faint frown curling the corners of her red-painted lips down.  
"Feferi is coming over soon, too," Aradia stated calmly. "We're going to fix this, Sollux, don't worry."  
"Don't worry? How am I thuppothed to do that?" Sollux groaned, burying his face in his hands. The doorbell rang frantically. "That mutht be FF, huh?"  
Aradia stood and walked to the door. "Hello, Feferi."  
Feferi ran to Sollux, hugging him tightly. "Oh, I'm so, so, so sorry, Sollux!" she said, pouting faintly.  
Sollux shook his head. "Don't be, it'th not your fault," he mumbled.  
The girls sat down on either side of him, taking a moment to simply sit in silence. Aradia spoke up first. "How much does he remember?"  
Sollux pushed his dual-colored glasses up and pinched the bridge of his nose again. "He doethn't even remember how we met..." Feferi let out a small noise of pity, patting his shoulder softly.  
"I don't think I even know how that happened," Aradia commented curiously. "How did you meet Eridan, anyways?"  
"Way to be inthenthitive, AA," Sollux groaned.  
"I'm just curious," she said, raising her hands in surrender.  
Feferi began giggling. "I know at least one side of the story. Sollux, tell us yours!" Sollux shook his head. "Please?" she whined.  
"I'm here in emotional turmoil and you guyth are more interethted in how we met?" he groaned loudly. "You are awful people!"  
"Come on, Sollux!" Feferi pleaded. "You so wrapped up in the bad stuff, maybe thinking about the good stuff will help!" She grinned, leaning forward to see his face.  
"Fine!" Sollux moaned, waving his hands around to call for silence. "I wrecked hith bike."  
Aradia stared in confusion. Feferi just rolled her eyes. "The whole story, Sollux!" she complained.  
He groaned with a surplus of exaggeration. "I wath playing on my phone when I wath walking home. Thome kid on a bike almotht hit me, but he thwerved to mith. He ended up wrecking hith bike and landing on hith fathe."  
"And?" Feferi pressed, a wide smile on her face.  
"And... I thort of had thome thticky noteth in my pocket from work. Tho I wrote my number on one and thtuck it to hith glatheth when he that up," Sollux finished, rubbing his neck in embarrassment.  
Feferi giggled. "Eridan came home with the sticky note still on his glasses. He said something like, 'Some asshole made me wreck my bike and had the gall ta give me his number!'," she laughed, struggling to sound as much like her brother as possible.  
Sollux couldn't help but smile a bit. "For me being thuch an athhole, he thtill called me the next day," he reminded Feferi.  
Aradia laughed quietly. "You two are both assholes, in my opinion." Feferi nodded in agreement. Sollux laughed sarcastically and flipped her off. "Now, our job is to get both of you assholes back together," she said, twirling her fingers around in the air. "So he remembers nothing about you two meeting or being together?"  
"No," Sollux muttered.  
"You know what this means, don't you?" Feferi said with a grin.  
"I'm royally fucked?"  
"Yes," Aradia commented, "but it also means you'll just have to make him fall in love with you all over again."  
Sollux looked up in a panic. "That barely worked the first time! How am I supposed to do it again?"  
"Well, you met because of the bike accident, right?" Sollux nodded, staring at Feferi blankly. "And your first date was...?" she trailed off.  
"I found him locked out of hith apartment and took him out to eat tho he'd thtop whining," Sollux explained.  
Aradia snickered. "You are truly romantic, Mister Captor," she said, rolling her eyes. "Alright... So those dorky little things that you two did? You'll just have to do it again."  
"Tho, I'm thuppothed to wait until I thee him on a bike tho I can make him wreck again?"  
Feferi laughed along with Aradia. "You don't have to do it exactly the same! But just..." She tapped her chin.  
"Look at it this way," Aradia chimed in. "I've listened to you get all mushy over how you'd love to relive those years. This is your chance to do just that."  
"Yeah, just because you already love him, doesn't mean you can't fall even more in love, right?" Feferi smiled.  
"You guyth," Sollux started, "are the lametht friendth ever."  
The girls laughed and called in unison, "You love us for it." Sollux rolled his eyes, smiling as he waved them out of the apartment. He shut the door with a soft sigh.  
"Fall in love all over again, huh?" He couldn't help but smirk. "Thoundth like fun."


	3. Chapter 3

Sollux let out a long breath, watching it fog in front of him as he pulled the collar of his coat higher. He glanced at the calendar on his phone, counting the days since Aradia and Feferi had been over to talk about Eridan. Letting out a soft groan, he realized that nearly three months had passed. He pinched the bridge of his nose as he remembered he hadn't seen or heard from Eridan since then, either. Eridan had probably forgotten him entirely by now considering his memory was never good to start with. Sollux buried his phone in his pocket, deciding that starting from scratch was easier than starting in the middle. He turned to walk down the street, only to run into another person.  
"Shit!" they hissed, dropping their cup.  
Sollux blinked in surprise. "Thorry," he apologized quickly. The other man just muttered something under his breath. Sollux paused, staring for a moment before he recognized them. A grin stretched his lips and he tried desperately to hide it as he watched Eridan pick up the now empty paper coffee cup.  
"Watch where you're goin' next time!" he said sharply. He turned to leave but Sollux caught him by the shoulder. "What?"  
"I'm thorry," he repeated, suppressing his excitement. "Let me make it up to you," he offered.  
Eridan paused, staring at him for a moment. "What on earth are you talkin' about?"  
"What I'm talking about ith me getting you coffee thometime to make up for ruining thith one," Sollux explained. He watched Eridan's expression flip between curiosity and annoyance. When he didn't respond, Sollux dug through his pockets and pulled out a pad of sticky notes and a marker. "Here," he said as he scrawled on the paper, "ith my number." He capped the pen, dropping it in his pocket and peeling the sticky note away from its brethren. "Call me when you want to take me up on that offer." Sollux pressed the note onto Eridan's forehead.  
Eridan stood with his mouth hanging open as Sollux turned and left, sauntering down the street. "Thuctheth," he murmured to himself. He rounded the corner, jumping as his phone began ringing. Ignoring the screen, he hit answer. "Captor," he said, knowing that most of his friends hated it when he answered this way.  
"You'd better turn around and start walkin' this way again 'cause I want a new coffee, Sol," Eridan's voice rang through the speakers.  
"Remembered my name, huh? And athking me out at that?" Sollux said, sarcasm dripping off of every word. He spun on his heel and walked back down the block. Eridan hung up in response. He saw Eridan still standing in the same spot with the sticky note now on the back of his phone.  
"You always a complete asshole?" Eridan said as he approached.  
"I figure it'th better that people know how much of an ath I am before they get too friendly," Sollux replied with a shrug. "Where do you want to go?"  
"The shop on Ninth," Eridan said quickly.  
"That really nithe plathe? Fanthy athhole," Sollux muttered, loud enough for Eridan to hear as they began walking.  
"You'd better believe it. I figure it's better that people know that I have standards before they get too friendly," he quipped.  
Sollux snickered and Eridan struggled to keep a straight face. Soon he gave in, laughing alongside Sollux, a small snort sounding between laughs. Eridan clapped one hand over his mouth, face flushed red. Sollux began laughing harder, a high pitched and slightly nasally laugh he had inherited from his father that most of his friends deemed to be nerdy. Eridan's face turned redder before he settled for staring at the sidewalk.  
"We're here," Sollux announced, looking at the shop with a faint grimace. He stuffed his hands in his pockets, squeezing his wallet nervously. "Shit..." he murmured to himself. He could see some of the prices through the window. This store could easily bankrupt him at the moment. If he'd known he'd be taking Eridan out, he would've actually gotten some money for the occasion. As it was, he could spring twenty bucks at max. Sollux glanced over to see Eridan frowning at the window.  
"On second thought," Eridan said, turning on his heel to walk away from the shop. "Why don't we go somewhere else?" He smiled faintly.  
Sollux let out a breath of relief. "Alright," he commented with a shrug. "Where do you want to go now?"  
Eridan tapped his chin. "Let's see... Since I was on my way home anyways," he said as he folded his arms across his chest. "You can walk me back to my house."  
"You sure you don't want me to carry you, your highneth?" Sollux said sarcastically, bowing at the waist.  
"Are you offerin'?"  
"Hell no."  
"Then no." Sollux snickered and followed Eridan, staying a step behind even though he knew where they were going."Your lisp is atrocious," he commented, "but I can tell what you mean when you speak."  
Sollux laughed quietly. "That'th nithe."  
"Oh, there's my place," Eridan said, pointing at the small building on the corner. Sollux waited on the sidewalk as Eridan bounded up the steps. "Thanks for whatever the hell you want to call that," Eridan said with a faint smirk. "See ya, Sol!" he called, entering his house.  
Sollux waved and walked back to his own apartment a few streets away. He closed the door, leaning against it with a wide grin. "Thingth are looking up," he murmured with a glanced at his phone, grimacing as he remembered deleting Eridan's contact information. Not only was he sure some of it had changed, he was positive that if he didn't, he would be calling Eridan as much as possible. That certainly wouldn't help the situation. Sollux groaned inwardly, marching past the art college with his shoulders raised against the cold.  
He let out a yelp as he felt someone slap his ass. Spinning around, he caught a glimpse of Eridan running back to his house with a smirk. He craned his neck, pulling the purple sticky note off of his back pocket. People around him murmured and giggled, but at that moment, it didn't matter. This was all he needed.  
_249-493-7506 Call me, 5 PM_


End file.
